CLIX WHEEL RELEASE SYSTEMS

Shortly after my article on the Clix QR system, Devin Riley at Clix sent me in one of their QR’s to play with. He shipped me one attached to a Shimano front hub with an RST fork.

At first, I just started playing with the Clix in the RST fork. To my surprise, I was able to hold the heavy RST fork in one hand while quickly removing and latching the hub with the other. It was almost too good to believe! Was this really a QR that wasn’t going to require re-tensioning and could be operated with one hand? To find out, I installed the Clix QR on the Fox F29 of the Ellsworth Evolve.

Installation

Clix provides excellent installation instructions with their product, but to be honest with you…if you can’t install the Clix without the instructions…you probably shouldn’t be working on a bike. Installation is extremely simple.

Un-thread the lock-nut and “no-spin” adjusting nut off the QR skewer.

Install the wheel onto the fork and thread on the “no-spin” adjusting nut (there is no spring on this side of the QR).

Adjust the QR to the proper tightness…you want the resistance to start when the lever is halfway through its stroke.

When that adjustment is made…re-install the lock nut so it is flush with the adjusting nut. It is not supposed to be tight against the adjusting nut.

You’re done!

The Clix In Action

Like I said…it is pretty easy to install. Once the QR is installed, there is no longer any need to adjust it ever again. This one handed operation is correct every time. That is the beauty of the entire system. You no longer have to adjust the tightness of the skewer every time you reinstall the wheel.

As you can see from the videos, it is almost a one-handed operation. Your other hand is normally needed to help the rotor into the caliper or to make sure the QR is fully seated. The big picture here is having a correctly adjusted QR every time.

Another great feature of this system (that you can also see in the video) is that if the lever ever releases while riding, the wheel can not leave the dropouts. I released the lever and hit the top of the wheel repeatedly, and the wheel never came close to falling out of the dropouts.

I am of the firm belief that QR’s are not suitable for today’s mountain bikes, but the Clix Wheel System is by far the best out of the bunch. It seems to address every issue that QR’s have had in the past. You can only get these QR’s on bikes through OEM suppliers (Cannondale, Trek, Gary Fisher), but hopefully they will release these to the aftermarket as well.

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I have only seen one version of this Clix mechanism and it is to my understanding that it they are found only as an OEM part due to numerous lawsuits resulting from large retailers, i.e Walmart, Target ect. The Clix QR seems to be a preventative measure, (remember the Lawyer Tabs?). I have only seen these on low end to entry level MTN bikes as they seem to be too flimsy for moderate to heavy use.

Have seen far too many of these come with low end builds at the shop. Every tech (Myself included) at said shop loathes these things simply because they really dont work very well at all. Seriosly, is there a problem with using TWO hands to cinch up a QR? This is a solution to a problem that DOES NOT EXIST unless you have some sort of mental handicap. Mucho props to whoever came up with this one… >:(

We tried to use them for production and the clowns at Clix couldnt finalize the dimensions. We took their info, sent it to the fork makers, they adjusted their lower castings and then the ClixClowns changed it again.

From a liability standpoint, I am not sure it helps the IBD. The QR has to be disassembled to be installed on the hub and reassembled since you cannot install the QR at the factory due to the added width of the wheel in packaging. Therefore the dealer is responsible for the QR disassembly and reassembly and yet another reason for Lawyers to exist.

I have had the clix QR come loose on me during riding, a little scary, but ironically it’s own spring device held it on the wheel. I switched to shimano quick releases have had no problems since. And I work in a shop so I do know how to do up a QR. I think there is nothing wrong with quick releases for xc bikes, but only good QR’s that clamp tightly, and unfortunatly I think shimano and campy are the only ones making them with internal cams. I have seen many external cam QR’s that rely on a curved nylon nut behind the lever, and this nut get’s deformed or in some cases totally mashed by getting turned 90 degrees.

Obviously no one here has ever dealt with the average bike customer. the fact is that the regular QR is impossible for your average person to figure out. don’t believe me stand on a busy street with the front wheel, a regular QR and your bike and ask people to put the front wheel on for you.. or adjust the seat or take the back tire off.. good luck! whats simple to us is like a rubix cube to most. the clix works great its simple and dummy resitant! i said resistant because even the clix is too complicated for most people. I not being mean, I’m talking from experience.

I have to agree with “another tech” on this one. Seriously, how many times have you guys had bikes come into the shop with the QR wing-nutted on or under/over tensioned? Why not try and make it easier for beginner riders to feel confident that their components are adjusted correctly? I applaud the clix guys for at least trying…and from what I have experienced, suceeding.

@ concerned: Check out their website, I’m pretty sure thats what clix is made to do (not release, but hold the wheel in place should the lever open). Now imagine if the lever had opened without the “secondary retention”. If you were riding a disc model, the wheel very well could have come off. Not fun.

Maybe not good on all bikes, but definitely has it’s appropriate application.

I kept seeing Clix pop up on random blogs and I have to admit I was pretty skeptical about its performance and intent…we just got a Trek 6000 in the store with the system (not sure why the previous models didn’t have it this year must be a running change) and I took some time to play around with it. From my personal experience I found it to be a very cool device. It works quite well and from what I could tell, the clamping force was as good as rsutton1223 claims. I am hoping that Clix goes aftermarket soon so I can pick up a system for my EX8.

I used to own a SwissBike LX. Found I used this QR system more than folding the bike cause all I needed was to be able to turn the handlebars for storage. With Clix Quick release, this was easy. Dident have to line up the disk brakes, just pop in the tire, click shut and go.

I thought all quick releases were like this till I bought my new bike.

Where can I buy this now? I tried emailing the company bu they did not reply.